From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
Bayda, Libya
Bayda Settled • Balagrae (circa early 1st millennium BCE)
البيضاء • az-Zawiyya al-Bayda 1840)
al-Bayda(in
• Beda Littoria (in 1933)
• Al-Bayda (in 1950s)
[1]
Elevation[2] 2,044 ft (623 m)
Population (2010)
• Total 250,000
Time zone UTC+2
Bayda /(ɑːl) ˈbaɪdə/ or /ˈbeɪdə/ (Arabic: ]3[البيضاءAl Baiḍāʾ
listen ), also spelled Az Zāwiyah al Bayḑā’[4], Zāwiyat al
Bayḑā’[5],Beida[6] El Beida[6] and known as Beda Littoria[7]
under Italian occupation, is a commercial and industrial
city in eastern Libya. It is located in the northern Cyre-
naica With a population 250,000 people,[8] Bayda is the
fourth-largest city in Libya,[9][10] after Tripoli, Benghazi
and Misrata. It is the capital city of the Jabal al Akhdar
District.
History
Bayda’s history stretches back to Ancient Greece, when it
was known as Balagrae.[11]The 2000 year old ruins of the
ancient Greek colony Cyrene are located nearby in Sha-
had.[12][13][14][15]
One of the greatest attractions in the city today is
the tomb of a famous companion of the Prophet Muham-
mad, Ruwaifi bin Thabit al-Ansari. For that reason, the
city was known as Sidi Rafaa after him. After the arrival
of Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi in the area in
the 19th century, and the construction of a zawiya, the
city was renamed Az Zawiya Al Bayda.[12] The modern city
was built in the 1950s. It was originally intended to be
the new capital of Libya, and most of the necessary gov-
ernment buildings were constructed there. Eventually,
the plan to move the capital from Tripoli to Bayda was
dropped.[16] Bayda is the administrative seat for Jabal al
Akhdar District today.
Bayda
Name
Location in Libya Bayḍāʾ means "white" in Arabic.[17] The naming of the
Coordinates: 32°45′59″N 21°44′30″E / 32.76639°N 21.74167°E city is connected with the Senussi movement, which had
/ 32.76639; 21.74167Coordinates: 32°45′59″N 21°44′30″E / dedicated zawiyas in the town to educate local people in
32.76639°N 21.74167°E / 32.76639; 21.74167 Islamic theology, Quranic memorisation to the young, as
Country Libya well as local and tribal conflict resolution, as was custom-
Region Cyrenaica ary at the time. The town became known as az-Zawiya al-
District Jabal al Akhdar Bayḍāʾ (the White Monastery) because of the white paint-
ed zawiya, which lies on top of a high hill and was clearly
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
visible from a distance. Within time, the word zawiya was flora has many plants closely related to those found in
dropped and the city became known simply as Bayda.[18] similar Greek, Italian, and Spanish coastal mountains and
forests. There about 1,800 species of Mediterranean
forests, woodlands, and scrub trees, plants, and flowers.
The forests are characterized by many oak species, ju-
nipers, pines, carobs, Albarbc, cypress, hawthorn (known
as Albthom locally), Chammari, and olive trees. There is a
network of natural springs in most parts of the moun-
tains, which makes them one of the most fertile areas
of coastal Maghreb North Africa. The forested areas and
springs provide habitat supportive of a diversity of birds
and wildlife.
The Akhdar Mountains are part of the larger Jabal
al Akhdar Plateau, an area of 15,000 square kilometres
The ruins of the ancient Greek city of Balagrae, in Bayda. (5,800 sq mi), with a length of 200 km (120 mi) from the
Albakur in the west to the Valley of Bef to the east of Der-
When the settlement was first founded by the Greeks, na, and a width of 75 km (47 mi). Beaches stretch along
it was known as Balagrae. During Italian rule, the city was the chain for about 350 kilometres (220 mi), in a diverse
known as Beda Littoria (Coastal Bayda). During monar- terrain with many coastal bays and inlets.[19] Bayda is fa-
chy, the zawiya at Bayda was considered a focal point for mous for the neighboring locale of Susa, a seaside resort
the Senussi movement, and in addition to the zawiya, the on the Mediterranean Sea.
city was also the political capital and seat of government Agriculture
of the Kingdom of Libya until the 1969 Al-Fateh revolu- Cultivated plants include many fruit trees, including ap-
tion. The zawiya still exists, but it is in a neglected state ples, grapes, nuts, and other fruits estimated at about
and sits near the University of Omar Al-Mukhtar at the four million trees, as well as many medicinal and herbal
western entrance to the city. plants, such as thyme, wandering herb Alkhalap, and
rosemary. In the past the mountains probably also had
the Silphium plant, which was treasured in antiquity but
Geography and natural history is now believed to be extinct. Honey is also found in
this region, due to the abundance of herbs.[20] Bozharh
is a center for the production of honey, for which Jabal
al Akhdar is famous. The finest honey comes from bees
which feed on the thyme and lotus plants. Honey is also
extracted from the Chammari plant, which blooms in the
months of December and January. Honey-murr from the
cove region has proved to be useful for the treatment of
liver diseases, such as diabetes.
Climate
A snowy road on the outskirts of the city
The city is famous for the valleys and forests nearby,
which are not found in the other cities of the ’Green
Mountain’—Akhdar Mountains. It is named the "Green
Mountain" because they are covered by dense forests
and woodlands, of which the best known are the Hamri,
Alpellnj, and Belaid forests. The highest point in the
Akhdar Mountains is around 850 metres (2,790 ft), locat-
ed in the Hamri area.
Native habitat New Bayda neighborhood
The Akhdar mountain range lies within the Mediter-
ranean dry woodlands and steppe ecoregion. The native
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
The city of Bayda has a Mediterranean climate (Csa, ac- Financing is also important, and the city’s National
cording to the Köppen climate classification), and it bor- Commercial Bank is the second largest bank in Libya. It
ders on a semi-arid climate (BSh), with an average annual also has a number of other large banks, including the Of-
precipitation of 484 mm (19 in). It is famous for recurring fice of the Central Bank of Libya in the city center. There
snow fall and heavy rains, where the temperature rises in is also the Agricultural Research Centre and the main
the summer time to 30 °C (86 °F), but in the winter snow animal and large national firms, such as Brega Oil Mar-
and freezing temperatures are common. The city is in a keting Company and Gulf oil, are important to the city’s
Mediterranean-Arab area about 150 miles (240 km) south economy. Coupled with an increase in consumer prices,
of Crete, and it is referred to as the City of Snow, which is an increase in the importance of the retail sector in the
distinguishes it from the rest of the cities of Libya. The economy of the city. In recent years, international privi-
region of Jabal al Akhdar is characterized by a moderate leges such as United Colors of Benetton, H & M, and Nike,
climate, being cold in the winter with an average annu- have opened in Bayda.
al rainfall of about 400 mm. Bayda’s climate is considered
by many Libyans to be the most pleasant in the country. Tourism
Bayda Tourism as an industry is still in the very early stages in
Libya. Bayda is an important tourist city in Libya, a base
(explanation)
Climate chart (explanation)
to explore the near by tourist areas such as the Ancient
J F M A M J J A S O N D Greece ruins of Cyrene and Apollonia, and Libyan Desert
trips south into Kufra. The village Balagrae contains sev-
eral large hotels, due to the tourist population.
109 77 53 22 5 1 0 0 10 51 54 102
14
8
15
8
17
10
21
12
25
15
28
19
29
20
29
20
27
19
24
16
20
13
16
10
Demographics
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: World Climate Guide
Economy
Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Bayda
As with other cities in Libya, there is a reasonable
amount of ethnic diversity in Bayda. The people of east-
ern Libya, Bayda included, have in recent centuries been
of predominantly Arab descent. However, the earliest in-
habitants were Berber peoples, and from the 7th century
BC until the 7th century Ad, the main ethnic group was
National Commercial Bank Main in Bayda Greek. In recent times, there has been an influx of African
immigrants into Bayda. The city also hosts many Egypt-
Bayda is one of the major cities in eastern Libya, and one ian immigrants. A small Greek community is also present.
of its major economic centers. It is also the industrial and The Greek island of Crete is a short distance from Bayda,
commercial center in Libya. The major manufactured and many modern families in the city bear Cretan sur-
goods include food products, fertilizers and agricultural names.
products, food processing, and imported goods, and pro- The majority of Libyans in Bayda are of Arab descent.
duce from villages near the city in the Akhdar region, in- In the 11th century, the Sa’ada tribe from the Bani Salim
cluding cereals, dates, olives, wool, and meat. Bayda also migrated to Cyrenaica; each clan of the Sa’adi historically
has one of the most important markets of vegetables and controlled a section of Libya. Bayda and its surrounding
fruits in Libya, because of the naturally fertile lands. areas were controlled by the Awaqir and Barghathi clans,
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
as well as immigrants from Misrata. In modern times,
a large quantity of Libyans from different parts of the
country have moved into the city.
Education
Church of Bayda in 1940
There is also a small foreign Christian community in
the city. The Roman Catholic Franciscan Church of the
Immaculate Conception serves Bayda’s Catholic commu-
Omar Al-Mukhtar University Library nity of roughly 4,000. For Egyptian Copts, there used to
be a Coptic Orthodox church, which is now closed, al-
Education in Bayda, as is the case throughout Libya, is though there is a project to reopen the old church. There
compulsory and free. Compulsory education continues is a Church of Christ, the first major Protestant church
up until ninth grade. There are many public primary and in Bayda. Jews lived in Bayda as they did elsewhere in
secondary schools throughout the city, as well as some Libya, from Roman times until 1967, when most were air-
private and international schools such as the Pakistani lifted out after a series of riots in the years following
school and others. Omar Al-Mukhtar University educa- the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. For Muslims, there are many
tion is also free for all Libyan citizens in Bayda. It holds mosques throughout the city; the oldest and best known
the country’s second largest university, the former Al-Ja- is the Mosque Ruwayfi bin Thabit Al-Ansari; the oldest
mi’a al-Libiya. mosques are located in and around the medina.
Omar Al-Mukhtar University is the second university
established in the country, and the first Islamic universi- Sports
ty, but after the Revolution of 1960, it was changed to the
University of Agriculture, and then to a regular univer-
sity. It now includes 14 colleges in several cities, such as
Tobruk and Derna.
Religion
The predominant religion in Bayda is Islam. Almost all of
the city’s inhabitants are Sunni Muslims. During Islam-
ic holidays such as Ramadhan, most abstain from food; Al Bayda Stadium in Bayda
restaurants are usually empty during the day, with the
exception of some expatriates and tourists. Alcohol is Bayda has some of the best sports facilities in the coun-
banned by law in Bayda and throughout Libya in accor- try. The city has various sporting centres of different
dance with Islamic principles. The conservative Islamic standards, such as football stadiums, as well as several
nature of Bayda creates a strong sense of family life in the other public and private facilities. Football is the most
city: almost all teenagers and young adults live at home popular sport in Bayda, and one of the country’s most
until they marry. Many in Bayda adhere to the tradition- successful football clubs, Alakhdhar, is based in the city.
al Maliki school of religious law. In recent years how- The largest sporting centre in Bayda is the Medina al-
ever, some people are beginning to practice schools of Riyadhia (Sports City). The complex is situated just north
thought popular in Saudi Arabia, such as Salafism, with of the city centre, and houses the Al Bayda Stadium and
an increase in the number of literalist inclined Islamic athletics stadium, and the Slayman al Tharrat basketball
television channels. It is not uncommon, therefore, to see stadium. Several matches of the 2009 FIBA Africa Cham-
women wearing black niqabs and men with full beards in pionship were hosted at the arena.
Bayda.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
Judo and taekwondo are popular men’s sports in Bay- Public transit
da. In recent times, rugby sevens has seen great success,
There is no systemised public transport system in Bayda,
with three clubs to its name. Gyms have also become
despite the city’s size and significance. A popular system
more popular in the city in recent years, because of a
of microbuses has developed in recent years and covers
greater concern for healthy living amongst Libyans.
many areas of the city, they run on fixed routes and pas-
sengers embark and disembark anywhere on the route.
Transportation There are also international services to Cairo and Alexan-
dria.
Railway
As of 2010, earthworks are underway in the city for a
rail network which will traverse northern Libya. Russian
Railways is responsible for the 3 year contract. In the fu-
ture, a rail link may be built to both Tunisia and Egypt,
forming a North African coastal rail network.
Airports
The La Abraq Airport airport has daily flights to Tripoli,
and also serves the length of the line in the pilgrimage
to Mecca and Jeddah. Benina International Airport serves
national and international flights. Bayda port is a vital
terminal for the region, and allows for the import and ex-
port of national and international goods and food prod-
Libyan Coastal Highway with bridge overpass, to the east of ucts.
Bayda
See also
• Al Oroba Street
• List of cities in Libya
References
[1] Al-Bayda lexicorient, 2011 Oct 17
[2] Fallingrain.com
[3] Beida Retrieved 28 September 2011.
[4] Az Zāwiyah al Bayḑā’: Libya Geographical Names.
Retrieved 28 September 2011.
[5] Zāwiyat al Bayḑā’: Libya Geographical Names.
Retrieved 28 September 2011.
[6] ^ "IATA AIRPORT CODES by city name". Photius
Traffic congestion in Bayda Coutsoukis. 28 September 2011.
http://www.photius.com/wfb2001/
Road network airport_codes_alpha.html.
[7] BeidaLA LIBIA, IL COLONIALISMO FASCISTA
Bayda is on the historic Libyan Coastal Highway. The lo-
,GHEDDAFI E I FURBETTI EUROPEI
cal road network is generally well designed. An efficient
[8] Shahid, Anthony (March 6, 2011). "Free of Qaddafi,
system of highways, flyovers, ringroads and underpasses
a City Tries to Build a New Order". The New York
serve the city, and allow for the transport of goods and
Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/
vehicles. The roads are not always well-maintained how-
world/africa/07rebels.html.
ever, and often have incorrect, poorly visible or no road
[9] "Libya Cyrene to re-enchant" (in French).
markings, as well as potholes in some roads and inner
Libération. April 30, 2011.
city streets. In recent years, a rapid increase in car own-
http://www.liberation.fr/monde/
ership has meant that traffic jams, lack of parking spaces
01092334578-libye-cyrene-a-reenchanter.
and overcrowding are also common, especially on small-
[10] "Libya Russian fears, Drogba & Libyan rebels".
er streets. Road accidents are also on the rise because of
ESPNsoccernet. September 10, 2011.
the increase in vehicles and the subsequent lax in atten-
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/
tion given by authorities to dangerous driving.
5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bayda, Libya
id/954633/africa-report:-russian-fears,-political- [17] The Lands of the Eastern Caliphate
drogba-&-libyan-rebels?cc=3888. books.google.com.ly
[11] Cyrenaica and the Late Antique Economy Oxford [18] Libya handbook: the travel guide
University Computing Services. Retrieved 28 books.google.com.ly
September 2011. [19] "CIA World Factbook". books.google.com. 2010.
[12] ^ "Beida". Libyan Airlines. 28 September 2011. http://books.google.com/
http://www.libyanairlines.co.uk/flights-to/beida. books?id=pqanFyF6nI0C&pg=PA402&dq=Geography+Al+Jabal+al+A
[13] Balagrae’: Libya Geographical Names. Retrieved 28 [20] "The Changing geography of Africa and the Middle
September 2011. East". University of London. School of Oriental and
[14] Balagrae (El Beida) livius Names. Retrieved 28 African Studies. Dept. of Geography.
September 2011. http://books.google.com/
[15] The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal books?id=gZub3uyC79MC&pg=PA154&dq=Geography+Al+Jabal+al+
Numismatic Society The Internet Archive,Source:
University of Toronto Libraries. Retrieved 28
September 2011.
External links
[16] "Book Africa briefing". books.google.co.uk. Media related to Bayda at Wikimedia Commons
http://books.google.co.uk/
books?id=Dk0gAAAAMAAJ&q=beida+libya&dq=beida+libya&hl=ar&ei=ihOCTIH7CcOn4AaD9tSoAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=bo
thumbnail&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQ6wEwAQ.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bayda,_Libya&oldid=466130638"
Categories:
• Bayda, Libya
• Cyrenaica
• Populated places in Jabal al Akhdar
• Barbary Wars
• Titular sees in Africa
This page was last modified on 16 December 2011 at 08:30. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of
the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.Contact us
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers
6